Bulgaria - July 2024
2 years after my first visit, I finally returned to Yana’s home country of Bulgaria! On my first trip, we saw highlights such as the Rila Monastery, Plovdiv, and the Black Sea. This time around, we chose to stay mainly in Yana’s hometown of Radomir to spend more time with her family. I really leaned into the slower pace of life on this trip - we had lovely meals, went on walks, and spent afternoons reading on the balcony. I’m certainly biased, but Bulgaria is a fantastic travel destination for those who want a European Summer destination off the tourist track. The cuisine is excellent, the people are warm and welcoming, and it’s not over crowded.
We started our journey to Bulgaria by first taking a direct flight from MSP to Dublin, where we had a one night layover. I had never been to Ireland, so I enjoyed the opportunity to get a quick glimpse of the capital city. We walked through the Temple Bar area and saw the historic Trinity college. Even though we only had a few hours to explore, I was extremely impressed with the architecture of Dublin. I’ll have to visit for longer in the future to explore more of the city. From there, we made our way to Sofia through Frankfurt via Lufthansa.
The first few days of our trip were spent in Radomir catching up with friends and family. One highlight was watching Yana’s cousin Boyan play in a Soccer game for Strumska Slava against Levski - the local rivals from Sofia. I enjoyed taking in the atmosphere and cheering on Boyan. The level of play for teenagers was strong compared to what I’ve seen in the United States. Soccer is the most popular sport in Bulgaria, and games are taken seriously. I even got into the action during the trip by playing some 2 on 2 soccer with Boyan, his brother - Dani, and their father - Milo.
We then spent 2 nights at a resort in the mountains and completed the famous hike to the 7 Rila Lakes. I was astounded by the vast scenery. The hike took us about 7 hours and should be on every visitor’s itinerary during a visit to Bulgaria. From the top of the hike, you can see all 7 lakes at one time - it was breathtaking. I found the topography similar to areas of Colorado - forested and dry with jagged mountain peaks. Pictures just don’t do this place justice. I’d recommend checking out Yana’s Rila Lakes YouTube video to see more of the striking landscapes.
During the last leg of the trip, we spent as much time with friends as possible. We went to dinner in Sofia at Mediterraneo with Yana’s cousin, Sashko and his girlfriend, Alexandra. It was delightful to spend some time with a couple around our age - we had a great time comparing and contrasting life in Bulgaria to life in the US. We also spent a night at Teddy and Georgi’s apartment in Sofia and went to dinner at Rakia Raketa Bar - a restaurant filled with decor from the socialist era. Spending time with friends and family is my favorite part of our Bulgaria trips - I feel privileged to be so connected to a country so far from my home.
Although I grew up in a different culture, when I leave Bulgaria I leave a set of friends and family behind that I will always be connected to. To Yana, Bulgaria is her motherland and her first home. I’ll always cherish the opportunity to celebrate her culture and spend time with our Bulgaria fam. Thankfully we don’t have to wait long to return; we’ll be back next spring to host our wedding reception!
-DB
